Joey Barton THREATENS Gary Neville after pundit called him out for comparing female commentators to serial killers
UNDER-FIRE Joey Barton has threatened Gary Neville after the punter hit back at his sexist serial killer tirade.
The former Manchester City star has been slammed in recent weeks for launching sexist tirades against female pundits – who he claims “aren’t qualified” to talk about men’s football.
Now, he’s attacked one of the country’s biggest footballing names in a post on X, formerly Twitter, after Neville backed comments by ITV.
“Gary, please keep your head down or you will get emptied as well,” Barton said.
“I know they pay your wages and I don’t want to have to put you away.
“Worry about one of the other 3758 business things you’ve got going on.
“I’ll decide when it’s gone too far. Not you.”
Barton’s threat responded to Neville backing ITV’s post which had called out earlier sexist comments by Barton that had had likened female pundits to serial killers.
Neville said women in his family had faced discrimination in the game and his brother was mocked when he had taken over the national women’s team.
He said: “Well done ITV. It’s gone too far this and mentioning serial killers is quite simply incredible.”
“I come from a family that has fought these issues for years and I’ve witnessed it first hand.
“All this does is just discourage and it’s not the way forward. It’s bloody hard work for Women to succeed in sport and media as it is without this stuff,” he posted.
On Friday morning Barton, 41, took aim at pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, who he called “the Fred and Rose West of football”.
Fred and Rose West were two of Britain’s worst serial killers.
The pair abducted, tortured, raped and murdered numerous young women over 20 years.
Speaking about Aluko, Barton tweeted: “How is she even talking about Men’s football. She can’t even kick a ball properly.
“Your coverage of the game EFC last night, took it to a new low.
“Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, the Fred and Rose West of football commentary.”
Barton has already been called out on social media by the likes of Laura Woods, Bianca Westwood and Piers Morgan as well as thousands of fans.
ITV Sport hit back at the ex-pro in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, that Neville responded to.
The ITV post said: “For Joey Barton, an ex-professional player with a significant social media presence, to target two of our pundits, Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, with such vindictive remarks based on gender and to invole the names of serial killers in doing so is clearly contemptible and shameful on his part.
“Football is for everyone.”
It comes after Alex Scott was hailed as “total class” when she hit back at his sexist comments.
Scott, 39 – who had said she “doesn’t want to give Joey Barton oxygen” – has now taken aim with a passionate message on live TV.
Barton is one of football’s most controversial characters, and served time in prison in 2008 for assault.
He was sacked as Bristol Rovers manager in October,weeks after fans slammed him for “throwing his own player under the bus.”
Both Joey Barton and Gary Neville were approached for comment.
